Happy New Year AL2!!!

[ReeRee]

Hello everyone and a very Happy New Year to one and all!! I stopped in at the old MSN site to let you all know that I am still alive and kicking but found a dusty old, deserted group . I figured I would find you all here. This new format is going to take some getting used to for me (sorry about the broken links for my sig and avatar, I'll get it figured out soon I hope). Perhaps by the new year 2010 I will have a handle on it - lol. This old dog doesn't learn new tricks very easily (at least not when resistant to the change) and I was SO accustomed to MSN I am finding this proboard thing a bit daunting. BUT, you are all worth figuring it out so I don't lose touch!!

I've been working myself half to death for the past couple of months since I hit production. I couldn't work overtime in training, but since going to production I can work all the overtime that I want and I have been taking advantage of it. It not only looks great on payday, but it's great for my stats as well. Last Monday, 12/29 marked the end of my 90 day probationary period. The call center is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. M-F and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sat. I've been working the 9 to 9 through the week but still taking my weekends off. The extra 3 hours per day gives me 15 hours of overtime per week and I don't have to make the drive any more often than if I just worked 40 hours.

Now that I have made it through my 90 days probationary period I am free to apply for a promotion. Now I am just waiting for a position that I want to become available. It's a fairly new call center (opened in June), so in the beginning the promotions were rapid and rampant. They ceased to almost nil about the time I hit transition. Story of my life! lol Anyway, it worked out well for me because it gave me time to work the phones long enough to get a handle on the job and the myriad of different calls that come in. I have much more confidence in my abilities now after 2 months on the phones. My stats look great, too. I am meeting 5 out of 6 measurement areas for the calls. The one that I need to work on is my average handle time. AHT is basically how long I am on a call. My average is a bit high because I'm on the calls too long. I'll bet that doesn't surprise any of you does it? LOL! Me??? Too gabby??? NEVER! lol! What is it that Neo calls me?? Oh yeah, Chatty Cathy - lol. But seriously, I need to shave about 2 minutes off my AHT and then I will meet that measurement area as well. 2 minutes doesn't seem like a lot until you get the call from the customer that just wants somebody to talk to - lol. And there I am, more than willing to oblige - lol.

I just put in a shift bid for 9 to 6 rather than my current schedule of 12-9. I think it will work out much better for me that way. As it is right now when I work overtime I come in early but I still have to work to the end of my shift. Sometimes after being there that long, and I've had a particularly stressful day on the phones I'd like to leave around 7 or 8 p.m. but I can't. If I get my hours changed to where my shift ends at 6 p.m., I can still work overtime past 6, but when I feel overwhelmed I can log out and leave. I shouldn't have any problems getting it because my attendance is perfect. I've only missed one day and that was because we had an ice storm the 16th of December and the roads were impassable. Almost no one showed up for work that day because of the driving conditions, so no one was given any attendance marks for missing that day. That was great news for me because it kept my attendance at perfect. But, I would have taken the point rather than risk my life and my car to try to drive in that mess!! I'm a Florida girl and don't have the slightest idea how to drive in winter weather - lol.

I hope you all had a great Christmas!! I got a 4 day weekend for Christmas and Tina and I went to spend it with our little family. I got my grandson an Xbox 360 "from Santa" because my daughter and SIL couldn't afford to get him one and still be able to get him other things as well. Heather told me at first that I couldn't buy it for him because Matt wanted it to be from Santa, not from ReeRee. I guess you'd just have to be a grandmother to understand that I didn't give a hoot who's name was on the package I just wanted him to have one because that's what he wanted. He even said that if he didn't get one then he knew there was no Santa (he's 7 years old). This may very well be the last year he "believes" so I wanted to make it special for him in any way that I could. What's a couple hundred bucks when you're talking about a child and the magic of Christmas?? Especially when that child is your only grandchild. Yep, he got an Xbox - lol.

Well, I guess this Chatty Cathy has bent your ear (or worn out your eyes) long enough - lol. I'm off to see if I can figure out how to change my signature and avatar so that ugly black and blue PB bruise will stop showing up on my posts. Then I want to read some and see what all of you have been up to. Can somebody tell me how to save a snag from here? It doesn't seem to work when I right click

It's great to be here (I think) and great to see all of your names!! I hope I get used to this fast.

Love you all tons and tons!!

ReeRee

[Betsy (RIP)]

It's so great to see you ReeRee. We've all missed you lots. Sounds like things are going well for you and you had a nice holiday with the family. Once you get the hang of it, this board is really easy to navigate. Hang in there. Even if you don't have a lot of time to play, try to stop in occasionally and post a 'hello'.

[neophyte]

Hi, ReeRee aka Chatty Cathy. I saw your reply on a thread and about fell off the puter chair. It's great to see you here. Good grief, there's certainly nothing amiss with your work ethic. Perhaps you could bottle some of that and market it. I think I'd struggle with the AHT, too....lol

I just right click and save as.

The thing about the signatures and avatars is to use the correct link. On the main page whatever it's called, if you scroll down, there are some tutorials on how to do them.

[Suzie]

Well Happy New Year to you too ReeRee. Was so happy to see you pop in.

Sounds like you are really enjoying your new job and I am sure all that extra over time $$$$ comes in handy.

Hope to see more of you in 2009.

[Huronna]

My My...if it isn't chatty Cathy....phew! what a post! Guess that makes up for not seeing you for ages.

Sounds like you have conquered that job and are ready to take over. I can't understand why you calls are "over on the time" how could that possibly be?

It's good to see you found you way, we closed the doors at 0001 on Jan 1st 2009. But to leave a note on the door, we had to leave up the message board, sort of.

Well don't stay away so long next time

[Flagryl]

So good to hear from you Ree. Sounds like this job is a perfect fit and you are in your element. Good for you! Not to worry about this site, it's easy once you get the lay of the land. Just hollar if you need help...lots of it around! Take care gryl.

[Deleted]

OH WOW I was just thinking about you... great to see you post ReeRee... thought you forgot about us LOL... Hey we always sign our presents to our kids and grandkids as Santa... why not, we're not lookin' for some kind of reward for givin' them something... we have friends who said they want the kids to know who spent all that money on them and didn't want santa to get the credit LOL...

Hey! don't be such a stranger and drop in more often... we miss ya... Hugs... GB

[shoozie]

Wow, ReeRee, I was wondering about you last night.
You've been so busy, I'm pooped from just reading your post.
Glad you had a nice Christmas and hope you will have a wonderful New Year
and maybe be able to spend a little more time with us.

[colormebabs]

HELLO REEREE! I have wondered about you and have been worried but you seem as though you have grown leaps and bounds having this new job!!!!!!!! Good for you G/F! You have a lot more ambition than me and I am so proud of you.

I thoroughly remember your stressful posts when you first started and at the time I had just started a new job so was "living" your stress with you.

I am no longer with them as my last day was Dec 12th but will begin to look for a new one now that the holidays are settling down ugg.

What a wonderful thing you did for your GS. This probably is the last "believing" year. Your unselfish attitude is admirable and proves how strong the power of love truly is.

I also remember you being so frustrated at the thought of leaving MSN and am so happy to see you have changed your mind and will be here with us. At the momment I have more free time to spend here but that will change, yet I know I will always come home. Glad you did too.

You rock girl!

Happy New Year and huge hugs to ya!

Babs

[nancyd]

Hi ReeRee! It's great to see you posting. You've been missed. Your job sounds exhausting. I don't know if I could work so many hours at a job like yours. (I'd love to try though, I've been off work since I was laid off in May) I just got an extension on my unemployment, Thank God. I'm still looking, but there just aren't any jobs out there. Our local paper has had only 3 job listings for the past couple months and they're not for me. Good luck. Be sure to stop in and post now & then if you can find the time.

Happy New Year!

Nancy

[pippilongstocking]

Yay!!! ;D
ReeRee ;D
So chuffed to bits to see ya! xx
Wow, sounds like you've been super busy
But just lovely to see you pop in
See you soon, I hope!

Mandy x

[Carol (RIP)]

Hi and Happy New Year, ReeRee! Great to see you over here at the new digs!

[silk]

I don't know how I missed this post ReeRee. How good it is to see you and to learn how well you're doing. Welcome to the new forum...it won't take you long to get the hang of it. Hugs, Silk

[omieka]

Gosh ReeRee it is nice to see you here. I wondered where you were and now I can see that you have been very busy. I haven't been posting much, but drop in now and then to let everyone know how Tom is doing. I hope to have more computer time now. I have to brush up on my PSP since it has been a while for me. I hope you will be very happy in your new job. Happy New Year to you. Hugs, Diane

[ReeRee]

Hey everybody!! It's great to see all of you, too! I think about AL2 quite often but by the time I get home and update my business sites I'm too pooped to be on the puter. It's not the job Nancy and Shoozie, it's the darned drive. I'm on the road 2 hours a day in addition to being at the call center for 12. Makes for a long day. But, like Suzie said, the extra $$$ sure come in handy. On the weekends I've been helping my friend that was diagnosed with cancer. I work at least one shift on Saturday for her every weekend. Sunday is my only day to do things around the house (I won't mention the ugly word) - lol.

Babs and Nancy, I wish you both the best of luck finding a job in today's market. It's so tough in so many parts of the country. I lucked out when this new call center opened. There aren't too many jobs here either, but the center opened up about 600 jobs in this area. I was fortunate to get one of them. Babs, it was SO sweet of you to say you worried about me. I guess it's safe to say that with me, no news is good news . I was very resistant to change (from the group to a forum) but it doesn't look so bad now that I am forced to be here. I tried it before but gave up quickly and ran back to the group. Once I didn't have the option and had no choice but to give it a chance it looks do-able - lol. Huronna, I did see at the group where you would officially close it the first of January, but still I resisted. Ahem!

Betsy, Flagryl, Carol and Silk I seem to be finding my way around a little better. I've explored around our new home today and it doesn't seem as hard now. I've managed to put an avatar and a signature in my profile, save a snag (the right clicker finally started working) and post a graphic. Woohoo! I haven't tried to get to the safe tubes yet, but then again, like Diane I haven't so much as opened psp in 3 months. Hope I still remember how to use it - lol. By the way Diane, how IS Tom doing? Since you say you are slowing getting more puter time, I hope that means that Tom is doing better every day.

Neo, please don't hurt yourself. I'll try not to be such a stranger and at least pop in to say hello more often than I have been. Then maybe you won't take a tumble out of your chair when I post - lol. Thanks for the props on the work ethic. I think it comes natural to me to be a good employee after I was an employer for so many years. All except for the AHT - lol!! I'm working really hard on that, you have no idea.

Mandy, I got such a giggle out of that tag! I had all but forgotten those - lol. It's good to see you, too!

Babs, you are right, this is home. And, it's the awesome members that make it home, not the format we use to stay in touch. I miss you too, girl!! Again, good luck with the job hunt. I hope you find just what you are looking for. With your talent you should be a zillionaire!! Oh, and thanks to you and GB both for the props about Santa. It wasn't anything any more admirable than a grandmother's love. Christmas is for kids and he's the only one I've got. Hey GB, I've got a couple of friends like yours .

Sorry the first post was so long, Huronna . I'm afraid this one may end up being even longer - lol . But, the little meter below this window shows where I still have over 56,000 characters left in this post - rofl!!! I wonder if I could make a post so long I run out of characters........? LOL! Just kidding Huronna!!!

I was great to see you all!!

[Huronna]

ReeRee is did a little something with your avatar. It was really really distorted. This happens because the allowable size is 100 x 100 and if the original tag is about 150 x 100 which yours was, it will come out squished. I moved the name and cut off the excess area and made it 100 x 100. I loaded it into your profile and here it is for you to put in your own PB account or make a different one. BUt remember if it's not 100 x 100 is will look wierd.


I even had to fix Bab's LOL and quite a few other peoples, by just adjusting the size in their profile.

[Anita]

Happy 2009 to you too Ree. Good to see you here with us posting at long last. I thought you had given up on us after you went to work. lol I know life keeps us busy at times and I guess that is a good thing. Good to see you back here with us. Stay safe on your drives to and from work and keep your doors locked, even though it isn't night time now when yoou travel.

[sabban]

Oh reeree
I was thinking you at christmas .You are so so missed .Im happy that work is working out well for you and being able to buy gifts for the ones we love makes it all worth while .I know our beloved huronna would have gone out and found you if you had not found your way here .A little place has been reserved for you with your name on it .xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Post soon
love and hugs
sue xxxxxxxxxxxx

[ReeRee]

Jan 4, 2009 22:35:59 GMT -5 Huronna said:

ReeRee is did a little something with your avatar. It was really really distorted. This happens because the allowable size is 100 x 100 and if the original tag is about 150 x 100 which yours was, it will come out squished. I moved the name and cut off the excess area and made it 100 x 100. I loaded it into your profile and here it is for you to put in your own PB account or make a different one. BUt remember if it's not 100 x 100 is will look wierd.


I even had to fix Bab's LOL and quite a few other peoples, by just adjusting the size in their profile.

Thanks Huronna! It did look a little strange but being new to the forum I thought it just had to be that way. I did save the one you altered. Do I need to do anything more with it? Is there such a thing as storage here on this site? Do we need to worry about running out of room? I must say the forum is easier than I thought it would be. My first experience with forums was "you know where" and it was unbelievably difficult to navigate. You've done an awesome job here girl!! Only one message board makes it so much easier!

Thanks again and let me know if I need to upload that avatar again.

[ReeRee]

Jan 4, 2009 22:50:51 GMT -5 Anita said:

Happy 2009 to you too Ree. Good to see you here with us posting at long last. I thought you had given up on us after you went to work. lol I know life keeps us busy at times and I guess that is a good thing. Good to see you back here with us. Stay safe on your drives to and from work and keep your doors locked, even though it isn't night time now when yoou travel.

Thanks girl!! You know I love you! I got your PM answer but I've got to dash out the door in a minute heading to work. I'll try to pop in when I get home tonight but no promises, okay? Congrats on the new house my friend!!!

[ReeRee]

Jan 5, 2009 4:30:30 GMT -5 sabban said:

Oh reeree
I was thinking you at christmas .You are so so missed .Im happy that work is working out well for you and being able to buy gifts for the ones we love makes it all worth while .I know our beloved huronna would have gone out and found you if you had not found your way here .A little place has been reserved for you with your name on it .xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Post soon
love and hugs
sue xxxxxxxxxxxx

What a sweet post Sue! I think about you and the others here at AL2 quite often. I miss being here everyday and keeping up with what is going on in everyone's lives. My entire life is my job now. Thanks for all the sweet words, too, my friend. I've actually been a member here for quite some time, I just resisted the change - lol. You have a wonderful day and it was SO good to see you!

[Huronna]

Your avatar is uploaded on my PB, it would be better to put it on yours, just in case I would have a blolnd moment and delete an album or something. I don't plan on it, but better safe than sorry. There is no storage on this site, it is all through Photobucket. Make sure you put the height and width in the areas, I think your is 96 x 100 or something like that, other wise it's still distorted and we can't have a distorted ReeRee now can we LOL

[Deleted]

Goodmorning ReeRee. It is so good seeing you post in here. I was also thinking about you over the holidays. I have tried to get in here when I felt like it or had time. I think I have finally gotten used to the forum and it isn't too bad. At least the white pages and the cannot find page are gone..I don't think any of us will miss all the stupid things MSN did to us, LOL
Don't work too hard. I don't think I could handle that job because I would forget about the time and just keep talking, LOL
Have a great week.
Hugs,
Sandy

[colormebabs]

Ree Ree I am just glad to see that you bounced back.

Huronna, I am confused as to how you fixed my avatar so could you please explain? I made it 100 by 100 pixels, uploaded it to my site and actually have it hotlinked here against my better judgement lol so it can only be displayed from my website. I would like to animate it and thought I would ask before I put too much effort into it.